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NBA First Basket Scorer Odds, Picks & Predictions: Monday (Christmas Day)

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Some of us will be busy during Christmas and unable to sit down and watch a full game.

We’ve got the perfect fix for you.

With five games on the NBA slate, you can sweat out a bet for just one minute with the first-basket market in the NBA. All you have to do is pick the player you think will score first. Once the first field goal falls through the basket, you already know the outcome of your bet.

With that said, I’ve added a couple of first basket props to my betting portfolio. Check out who I’m riding with below.

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    Monday’s Best NBA First Basket Player Prop Bets

    (Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)

    Boston Celtics vs. Los Angeles Lakers

    The Boston Celtics have won the tip in 67% of games and have scored the first field goal in 67% of games. Beyond that, they’ve also attempted the game’s first field goal in 67% of games. Boston is among the most efficient teams to begin games in the NBA.

    They’ll take on the Lakers, who have only won the tip in 52% of games. Los Angeles has also taken the first field goal in 52% of games and added the first field goal in 52% of matchups.

    I’d rather the 67% over the 52%.

    Jrue Holiday and Jaylen Brown are tied with eight first field goals this season. Jayson Tatum is third with only four first field goals. However, Tatum has only attempted the game’s first field goal in 12% of games and has the team’s first field goal in 15% of games. It takes him some time to get going.

    Holiday currently leads Boston with the team’s first field goal attempt and the team’s first field goal. But he’s sitting at +950 as the fourth Celtics player on the odds list. That’s great value.

    Bet: Jrue Holiday (+950)

    Dallas Mavericks vs. Phoenix Suns

    The Phoenix Suns have won the tip in 64% of games. That’s very high and above average. While the Suns have only hit the first field goal in 50% of games, they’ve still attempted the first field goal in 64% of matchups and have needed 1.5 field goals to score their first shot.

    Meanwhile, the Mavericks have only won the tip in 38% of games, proving that the Suns will likely start off the game with the ball on their home court.

    The Suns have a higher probability of scoring first if they win the tip and take the first shot.

    However, most of the time, it’s not Kevin Durant or Devin Booker scoring first. Jusuf Nurkic has added the team’s first field goal attempt in 30% of games. He’s also scored the team’s first field goal in 26% of games and leads the Suns in first field goals with seven.

    Durant only has five.

    But Nurkic won’t be playing tonight. It’ll be Drew Eubanks with Grayson Allen, Nassir Little, Durant, and Booker. Eubanks is likely utilized early, just like Nurkic has been. I’ll take a chance with Eubanks. He hasn’t started a game this season, but that could change tonight.

    Bet: Drew Eubanks(+850)

    Make sure to check out our other best bets for Monday:

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